June in the Garden & North State Calendar of Gardening Events

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Sometimes I’m really organized as a gardener and sometimes I’m just not.

Take for instance the deadheading that is now in progress among my early summer blooming perennials – sometimes I get everything in order in advance: I get my gloves and clippers and even the kids’ old red wagon for collecting the cut back blossoms and branches of roses and lavender, wallflower and coral bells, all of which are ready to be sheered. Other times, I’m little more haphazard: I might wander out to the garden with my coffee in the morning or cool drink in the evening, and thinking of the day notice a dead bloom and perhaps absentmindedly bend over and snip it back with nothing more than my fingernails.
After about 15 minutes of this, I might have deadheaded one large lavender or two-three coral bells, have accumulated a little pile of trimmings to pick up at some later time and have fully enjoyed my thoughts and the feeling in the garden at the same time.

Other times still, I might be like the character in that children’s story “If You Take a Mouse to the Movies”. I’ll start by deadheading the lavender and end up having deadheaded only part of the lavender but also having followed a distracting tangent and created a lavender wreath or wand with the clippings. I will feel very pleased with how resourceful and sustainable I am in this repurposing if not particularly efficient with my time and tasks.

Resourcefulness and sustainability after all come into play for us as gardeners too – for our time and energy and the ability to balance what needs to get done with what we really want to do right here and right now. That’s part of the circle of the seasons in the garden in summer. Remember to enjoy it.

As for tasks in the garden this month, most plants are doing what they are supposed to be doing by now, most big planting or replanting is done, summer flowers are blooming, vegetables and fruit crops are starting to come in and watering, weeding and dead-heading are the constant chores. The contemplative task of cool early morning watering has begun and being out in the dim early daylight with the chattering of the birds and the waking bees and going-to-bed moths is one of early summer’s choicest gifts. The compost pile gets additions every day and daily turning reveals a steamy active pile, cooking along. To keep the compost pile balanced, I add good handfuls of dry leaves on top of fresh greenwaste additions.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and squash are all in, and for now looking under control and tidy – very well-behaved. Wait a month, and you know I will hardly be able to navigate the garden’s pathways for the growth of biomass. My potatoes are flowering letting me know that it’s time to dig around gently and collect some new potatoes, the rest I will leave for full maturity. Photo: The vegetable garden planted in summer crops and still looking well-behaved. Wait a month – it will be a riot of growth.

Now is a good time to fertilize both cherries and apricots – after harvest – now is also a good time to prune for fireblight in pears and apple trees.

Garlic and onion harvest are upon us providing the late spring treat of roasted fresh garlic and sweet onions sautéed in olive oil – which are delicious enough to eat plain with a spoon. Wolfgang Rougle, suggests digging the garlic when it still has a green leaf or two. Allow it to dry down in a dry shady place with plenty of air circulation; trim off the leaves when all is crispy. Hardneck garlics (which form the decorative scapes in spring) don’t store well past August; Softneck garlic keeps well into March. New potatoes will be ready as your plants are blooming. Photo:Green onions.

Late spring and early summer flowers annuals and perennials (including the lavenders discussed earlier) will benefit (and likely produce repeat blooms) from fairly diligent deadheading throughout the summer. When deadheading, make sure to get the whole flower head and the stem down to the nearest leaf or the one below that to encourage strong new growth. When deadheading roses – pruning back spent flower heads to a shoot with 5 leaves – not just three. Prune, deadhead and fertilize roses about 6 weeks before any special event for your roses to look their best. Photo: The herb garden in flower and ready for it’s first pruning back.

Real heat is in the forecast, so getting into your normal summer routine of later evening, middle of the night or early morning watering will reduce your water usage by a lot. It will also decrease your chances for stimulating fungal issues. Photo: June Farmers Market bounty.

Do not over-water trees or native or drought tolerant plants – especially directly around their crowns. As taller plants keep growing – dahlias, delphiniums, tomatoes, etc. – stake them for support. Feed your summer blooming plants and vegetables on a regular basis and cut back your perennials as they pass to encourage re-bloom. Top-dressing your beds with mulch and/or compost will help keep weeds down and help to keep moisture in, but make sure to not over-mulch around plant crowns. Make sure as well to leave some bare, un-irrigated dirt on the outskirts of your garden in order to allow room for native ground nesting bees. Keep harvesting summer crops as they mature in order to keep them producing as long as possible as well. Photos: Curing the late spring harvested red onions.

The June calendar of gardening events has a lot of opportunity for productivity, distraction and enjoyment as well. The On-line Calendar of Regional Gardening Events at jewellgarden.com adds events throughout the month. I do my very best to keep the calendar up to date and accurate, please confirm all events with the event host. If you have an event you would like listed or if you are aware of a mistake on the calendar, please send all pertinent information to: Jennifer@jewellgarden.com! Thanks!

JUNE 2014

June 1 – Chico: Butte Environmental Council Workshop “Lawns to Native Landscapes” with Garden Designer John Whittlesey 9 am – 2 pm. Dig-in for this hands-on Lawn Conversion workshop to conserve water, and create bird habitat. In Chico, water use goes up 60% in the summertime when we start watering our landscaping, so being mindful of what we plant can add up to huge water savings. During this event participants will join-in for a demonstration of lawn conversion, learn about appropriate native plants, get advice on their own yards, have soil samples analyzed, enjoy a lunch with friends, and take home a plant to get started. During the day we will also be learning about The Audubon Society’s new Bird Friendly Yard Certification Program. This is a Free Event and limited to 20 people. For more info: (530) 891-6424 http://www.becnet.org/events/lawns-native-landscapes-0 or canyoncreeknurserydesign.com

June 1 – Davis:UC Davis Arboretum Bugtopia 3.0: Discover Everyday Insects 1-3 p.m., UC Davis Arboretum Gazebo, UC Davis campus. Learn about the hidden insect wonders of the Arboretum from UC Davis Entomology Club members and UC Davis Arboretum Ambassadors. Tour the collections and learn insect names, trapping methods, and ecology. The event is free; parking is available at no charge on the weekends along Garrod Drive near the Gazebo or in nearby Visitor Parking Lot 55. For more information and directions visit http://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/calendar.aspx or call (530) 752-4880.

June 1 – Chico: Perma-Fun-K Permaculture Hands on Workshops with Rosa Maicas: Organic Fertilizers Learn how to make a compost pile at home, the best compost tea for your trees and vegetables, bocashi fermentations, EM, fruit fermentations for your fruit trees and hugocultures all in one day using organic matters and products around you minimizing coast and recycling materials. Make most of the organic fertilizers in your urban home or farm, increment the biology of your soil while building soil and feeding your gardens and orchids. 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. 305 W Lindo Av. Chico. 30$ for Butte College students! $40 for the rest of the community.For Registration perma_fun_Kchico@yahoo.com or call (239) 272-9661 For more info visit: Perma-fun-k.com.

June 7 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society Field Trip: Round Valley Reservoir – Plumas National Forest. Meet at Chico Park & Ride’s west lot (Hwys 32/99) in time to leave at 8 am. Bring lunch, water, sun/insect protection, folding chair (optional), and money for ride sharing. We will travel along Hwy 70 through the scenic Feather River Canyon and Hwy 89, about 87 total miles from Chico to the historic mining town of Greenville in Plumas Co. Round Valley Reservoir, a paradox of the Feather River region, is located 3 miles south of Green- ville by paved county road. Surface area of 500 acres at 4500 ft ele. the reservoir is ringed by fragrant conifers and lush mountain meadows abundant with wildflowers. Driving about 5 miles around the reservoir over paved and unpaved graded roads, we will be making frequent stops where a variety of flowers are abundant, including orchids and beautiful lilies. See close-up, giant ancient record size pine trees. View alpine peaks in the distance. Leaders may discuss human activities during and before the1800’s gold mining boom. Evidence of Native Ameri- can habitation can be observed here. We will lunch in a large lakeside flowered meadow where we might see geese, ducks, pelicans, osprey, and bald eagle. Call for alternate meeting place. Camping and overnight accom- modations are available in the vicinity. Leaders: Gerry In- gco 530-893-5123, Wes Dempsey 539342 2293. For more information see website at mountlassen.cnps.org

June 7 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay: Charlie Rabbit and His Friends 10:30 am. Join us the first Saturday of every month for an interactive program in the Gardens (or Greenhouse when it rains) for children, their siblings, parents and Grandparents. Join Charlie, our adorable jack rabbit puppet, in various gardening activities. Wear your favorite gardening clothes! Presented by Rick and Kandi Barnett. Free with park admission! Meet at Gardens West Entrance, located off Arboretum Drive next to Turtle Bay’s McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Nursery. More info: http://www.turtlebay.org

June 7 & 8 – Paradise: Paradise Garden Club’s Water Wise Gardening ExpoIn lieu of the club’s annual garden tour weekend, Paradise Garden Club has decided to address the drought and gardeners needs at this time by hosting a 2-day water wise expos featuring speakers, demonstrations and water-wise plants and gardening techniques. Terry Ash Recreation Center and its grounds. In addition we will have a benefit drawing, workshops, demonstrations, booths and best of all ten lectures. Except for the lectures the other events will be free. For more info: http://paradisegardenclub.org

June 12 – Redding: Shasta Chapter CNPS Special Presentation. Join Michael Kauffmann, author of Conifer Country and Conifers of the Pacific Slope, for an evening celebrating and exploring one of the most ancient and ecologically diverse groups of plants on Earth. Conifers survive in the West’s most spectacular landscapes and Michael’s presentation will offer an arm- chair journey to these magical destinations. Michael will focus on regional species diversity in the Klamath Mountains—known as one of the world’s hotspots for conifer diversity—as well as on research he conducted in the summer of 2013 on whitebark pine in northern California. We will also explore conifer biogeography and how our region is interconnected with many other western landscapes and hence has historically maintained world-class biodiversity. Michael’s books will be for sale at the event. The presentation will begin at 6 PM, and will be held at Lema Ranch, Main Conference Room, 800 Shasta View Drive, Redding. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. For more info: http://www.shastacnps.org

June 15 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society Field Trip: EAGLE ROCK AND HUMBOLDT SUMMIT LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) in time to leave at 8:30 am. Wear sturdy shoes. Bring lunch, water, sun/insect protection, hiking gear, and money for ride sharing. We will drive northeast 27 miles on Hwy 32, then 12 miles north on paved county road to the Butte Meadows area where we stop to see some insect captur- ing pitcher plants, Darlingtonia. We drive through Jones- ville and take the Humboldt Rd (gravel) 3 miles up to the summit 6600 ft. The Pacific Crest Trail contours without switchbacks along the rim of the caldera of Mt Yana. We will inspect some lava outcrops for pink, flat-stemmed on- ion, buckwheats, steer head, and spirea as we head up to 6,000 ft to Eagle Rocks, 1.5 miles, for lunch. We will pass expanses of arrow-leaved balsamroot with a few 3- leaved Lewisia, among the picturesque, ancient Jeffrey pines. At the top will be pink rockfringe and cycladenia. Call for alternate meeting place. Leader, Wes Dempsey 530-342-2293. For more information see website at mountlassen.cnps.org

June 15 – Chico: Perma-Fun-K Permaculture Hands on Workshops with Rosa Maicas: Hydrogen Cell Building 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Learn about electrolysis ( a science is being used and proved over 100 year already ) and about how you can run your car and motor cicle partially on water. Build a hydrogen cell gadget that gets attached to your engine and makes the engine run smoother, produce less contamination gasses and use less petrol. Saving money, prolonging the life of your engine while saving the environment. Happy Corner 689 East 18th St. Chico Bring comfortable clothes and shoes. A water bottle and your lunch. All the presentation contents will be put into the web after each class. PLEASE ARRIVE HALF AN HR BEFORE TO DO THE REGISTRATIONS/PAYMENTS PLEASE! 30$ for Butte College students! $40 for the rest of the community. For Registration perma_fun_Kchico@yahoo.com or call (239) 272-9661 FOLLOW US ON FACE BOOK For Registration perma_fun_Kchico@yahoo.com or call (239) 272-9661 For more info visit: Perma-fun-k.com.

June 19 – Redding: Shasta Chapter CNPS Chapter meeting and Annual BBQ Picnic This is our annual barbecue-picnic Chapter meeting to kick off the summer, this year to be held at Kids’ Kingdom in Enterprise Park, Redding. We’ll grill up some burgers and hot dogs, and dinner will be around 6 PM. The rest is potluck, so bring a dish to share! Also bring your own dinner service, beverage, and mosquito bug juice. This park does not allow alcohol. The scholarship recipients will be introduced at this picnic. Section B in the Picnic Pavilion is reserved for our group. Kids’ Kingdom is at 4300 Victor Avenue, Redding. For further information, please call Ken Kilborn at 221-2339. For more info: http://www.shastacnps.org

June 21 – SUMMER SOLSTICE

June 21 – Redding: Shasta Chapter CNPS Fieldtrip: Cedar Basin Hike This will be a repeat of a fieldtrip from several years ago; however, it will be in two parts: an easy first section that will be three to four miles with a 500-foot elevation climb, and for those with greater agility, we will hike a second section up to the rare Klamath manzanita. There are many Port Orford cedar trees, Klamath manzanita (discovered there in 1982), roundleaf sundew, and California pitcher plant along the trail. This area is a US Forest Service research area and has five species listed on the CNPS rare and endangered species list. The trail is also featured in Michael Kauffmann’s Conifer Country. The area is 14 miles west of Mount Shasta. Meet at Redding City Hall’s south parking lot on Parkview Avenue at 8 AM to carpool to the trailhead. Bring water, lunch, and adequate hiking footwear. No dogs, please. Please call David Ledger at 355- 8542 for more information.

June 21 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay Green Pesticides and Integrated Pest Management 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Come and learn about the many safer ways, successful organic and IPM (Integrated Pesticide Management) ways, to control pests and diseases in your garden and home. These methods are used daily by our presenter, local recognized pesticide expert Paul Stockton, in his work for a local pest control company that has tested green methods in the field. FREE for Members, $3 for nonmembers. Meet at the Arboretum & Botanical Garden’s Office (1135 Arboretum Drive next to Nursery Greenhouse)

June 21 – Dunsmuir Botanic Gardens: Annual Tribute to the Trees Concert Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens invites you to their annual fundraising gala.
Summer Solstice is this year’s Tribute to the Trees theme.
Come enjoy the longest day of the year amid the beautiful garden setting of Dunsmuir City Park.
Gate Opens at 3:30. Enjoy refreshment while you visit with old friends and new.
Auctions, raffles and boutiques await you.
Dinner prepared by Chef Kate Chadwick of Dogwood Diner will be served at 5:00.
From 6:30 to dusk the renowned Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra will enchant you. For tickets and more info: 530-235-4740. www.dunsmiurbotanicalgardens.com.

June 22 – Chico: Mt. Lassen Chapter of the California Native Plant Society Field Trip: BUTTERFLY VALLEY BOTANICAL AREA PLUMAS NATIONAL FOREST Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) in time to leave at 8:30 am. Bring lunch, water, sun/insect pro- tection, wear shoes for a bog, and money for ride shar- ing. We will drive northeast on Hwys 99 and 70 about 80 miles towards the mountain town of Quincy in Plumas Co. The Butterfly Valley Botanical Area, at 2900 – 3700 ft ele, was designated as a protected area due to its outstand- ing abundance and diversity of plant life. It is managed to provide the public with an opportunity to enjoy an unde- veloped area of profuse floral display. The area features 4 species of insectivorous plants including Darlingtonia californica. There are 12 species of orchids including lady slipper, 24 species in the lily family, 9 species of ferns and fern relatives, as well as poppy, buttercup, and wild rose. Call for alternate meeting place. Leader: Wes Dempsey 530-342-2293. For more information see website at mountlassen.cnps.org

June 22 – Redding: Shasta Chapter CNPS Plant Weeding/Clean-up Session One- to two-hour work session starting at 9 AM (please note earlier start time for the warm summer months) at the Shasta College greenhouses. The greenhouses are located at the back of Shasta College, near the livestock barns. We will be weeding our plants and demonstration garden and spiffing up. Please call Jay & Terri Thesken at 221-0906 for further information.

June 28 – Redding: Shasta Chapter CNPS Fieldtrip: Mt. Shasta This is a high-elevation, 5-mile fieldtrip from Panther Meadows to Southgate Meadows on Mt. Shasta at the 7,000- to 8,000-foot elevation. This moderately difficult hike has a 1,000-foot elevation climb. The trail has a variety of high-elevation wildflowers and shrubs, with beautiful views of the Sacramento Valley, Castle Crags, and surrounding terrain. Bring water, lunch, and adequate hiking footwear. No dogs, please. Meet at Redding City Hall south parking lot on Parkview Avenue at 9 AM. Mt. Shasta area residents should call walk leader David Ledger at 355-8542 for a local meeting location.

June 28 – Chico: Cultivating Community North Valley: Seed Saving Series Workshop #5 – Harvesting & Water Processing Warm Season Crops 2:00 – 4:00 P.M. In the Heartseed Greenhouse at the GRUB Cooperative. 1525 Dayton Road Pre-Registration is required at cultivatingcommunitynv.org. Priority is given to Income-Eligible participants. Price for Income-Eligible participants: Free. Income-Ineligible participants may sign up for the waiting list: If there is space, we will contact you within one week of the event. Cost will be $10. Paid day of event at sign-in table. Class size is limited to 25. Address: GRUB Cooperative 1525 Dayton Rd Chico, California 95928

June 28 – Redding: McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens at Turtle Bay: Walk with Horticulture Manager Lisa Endicott 10:30 am. Bring your notebooks and cameras for this participant-driven program. We’ll make our way through the Gardens with frequent stops for discussions about (what else?) plants! Free with Park or Garden admission. Meet at Gardens West Entrance, located off Arboretum Drive next to Turtle Bay’s McConnell Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Nursery. More info: http://www.turtlebay.org

In a North State Garden is a twice-monthly Northstate Public Radio and web-based program celebrating the art, craft and science of home gardening in Northern California. It is made possible in part by the Gateway Science Museum – Exploring the Natural History of the North State and on the campus of CSU, Chico. In a North State Garden is conceived, written, photographed and hosted by Jennifer Jewell – all rights reserved jewellgarden.com. In a North State Garden airs two weekends a month on Northstate Public Radio Saturday mornings at 7:34 AM Pacific time and Sunday morning at 8:34 AM Pacific time.

In a North State Garden is a bi-weekly North State Public Radio and web-based program celebrating the art, craft and science of home gardening in Northern California and made possible in part by the Gateway Science Museum - Exploring the Natural History of the North State and on the campus of CSU, Chico. In a North State Garden is conceived, written, photographed and hosted by Jennifer Jewell - all rights reserved jewellgarden.com. In a North State Garden airs on Northstate Public Radio Saturday morning at 7:34 AM Pacific time and Sunday morning at 8:34 AM Pacific time, two times a month.

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